Taking PPIs like Omeprazole long term and Osteoporosis risk

Appreciate your reply. Confirms again the things have changed. I just hope I'm not too late to turn around my bone density.

Im sorry to hear you have osteoporosis. Have they been able to treat it?

yep - they have me on Reclast infusions (I just have one a year).

I had my RNY in St Louis Missouri in August 2012 and had to take omeprazole for 3 months but I GERD before surgery. No problem since.

I am a band to RNY revision and I had terrible acid issues with the band and was on a PPI the whole time, then prescribed for a few months, post RNY.

I do have some occasional really bad flare ups of GERD that will last a month or more, so I just go back on the OTC Omeprazole as needed, but try to get off it as soon as I am able.

I thank goodness it was never a thing when I had mine 16 years ago. Can't imagine the state I'd be in and I've never had a day of acid (unless I've eaten overcooked tomatoes!)

I got my partner weaned off ompremnazole a few years ago because of the dangers. He lost 30lbs and doesnt have to take anything now.

I'm one of the unlucky ones who still have heartburn after surgery. I was prescribed omeprazole for the first three months after surgery and once I ran out the heartburn came back full force. My doctor would not prescribe me anymore and told me if my heartburn persisted I'd need to come in for more tests. I instead just started taking otc omeprazole. I've been taking it daily for about a year now. I know it's probably not good for me, but it beats the horrible heartburn I have.

it's one of those balancing acts - risk vs benefit. Long-term use of PPI's isn't great - but then, neither is unmanaged GERD, which can possibly lead to Barrett's Esophagus which, in turn, can possibly lead to esophageal cancer.

I have the same issue. My GERD came back during my third year post-op. I ate Tums like candy for the longest time, when my endocrinologist said I was likely to damage my kidneys with all that calcium. So now I'm on Protonix (pantoprazole) which my PCP said was a bit safer than some of the other PPI's. It was either that or risking some of those more serious conditions that I mentioned. So....not many good options, unfortunately!

Yeah, I really think I've done some damage to my esophagus prior to surgery after suffering through years of unmanaged heartburn and waking myself up in the middle of the night from choking on stomach acid that would come back up. Boy was that a miserable feeling! I have not had that problem since surgery, but still get that horrible burning feeling if I go off my omeprazole. I did take Dexilant for awhile prior to surgery and that medicine did wonders for me! But it was so expensive and once I changed jobs my new health insurance did not cover it. So it was back to omeprazole I went. Prior to surgery the omeprazole did nothing for me, but since surgery it keeps the heartburn manageable as long as I avoid real spicy foods which I've never been a huge fan of anyway.

I may try to slowly wean myself off again or try to find a medication that works which is a better option. I may have to try the protonix.

I had my RNY in September 2004, almost 16 yrs ago. I took Protonix (also a PPI), I think, for a yr or two. I then went off. Sometime, 5 or 6 yrs after my surgery I developed a marginal ulcer. That's an ulcer at the anastomosis site. I bled so much that I was in the hospital requiring multiple transfusions. I never had anything like this, no history of ulcers. After my ulcer healed I was put back on the Protonix. I stayed on it for another couple of years. I went to my GI dr and asked to be switched to something else because all this bad press was coming out about PPI (dementia, cardiac problems). So I was switched to Tagamet. I was on that for 2 years when- another bleeding ulcer. This time it wasn't as bad but did require hospitalization and less transfusions. By this time I also had progressed from normal bone scans to osteopenia to osteoporosis. I had joined a gym to do more weight bearing exercise. Didn't help. I had tried some of the anti-osteoporosis meds and they were awful. I had terrible side effects. After the last ulcer my GI dr told me to "pick my poison". Either go off the Protonix, risk another ulcer but not take anti osteoporosis meds OR continue with the PPI, not have ulcers, and have osteoporosis. He said "you can die from a bleeding ulcer but not likely to die from osteoporosis". So, I'm on the PPI. I have never had heartburn or GERD before or after surgery. The dr offered to reduce the PPI to 20mg (from 40mg) but frankly, I'm frightened. I don't want to be in a hospital w an ulcer. I developed allergies to blood products from having so many transfusions. If I needed any transfusions I would have to be premedicated w steroids to receive the blood. All in all- I would still do it all over again, still have the RNY. I lost 107 lbs from the surgery. I have regained 10-12 lbs (mostly from menopause) and have stayed at that weight gain. I am compliant in always taking my vitamins- Calcium, Vit D and others.I have my Vit levels checked each year, they're good.

Libby,

I'm sorry to hear of your ulcers and having to make a tough decision. I think your situation is why the recommendations for lifelong PPIs was the way it was. I hope I don't have to also return to full dose ppi.

As I am slowly weaning off, some nights I have such bad nausea I take a famotidine (Pepcid) on top of the low dose Omeprazole. One night I even woke up with acid in my throat. So I am working my way through this a day at a time.

Right now I am determined to get off the Omeprazole even if it means taking Pepcid as needed. Little by little I am hopeful. I have been eating less acidic foods to try to help. I do worry about ulcers, because I take low dose aspirin, but if I get an ulcer then I will deal with it then.

Nj